


Daydreaming

by VillainVogue



Series: Next Steps [3]
Category: Wonderland: A New Alice - Murphy/Boyd/Wildhorn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-19
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-13 01:18:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1207462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VillainVogue/pseuds/VillainVogue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Melanie likes to play with her prisoners before she executes them. Part of the Next Steps series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Daydreaming

**Author's Note:**

> If you've been keeping up with Next Steps, you know the drill. Quick refresher for those who may need it: Melanie is the next Hatter, this is an AU in which Alice and Jack were both banished to the Land Under Wonderland with Maddy, and for this series, Jack Stetson and Jack the White Knight are the same person. This series is not in any sort of chronological order.

“See how the mighty _stupid_ have fallen.” She mocks the disgraced former Hatter with her own words. Poetic justice, Melanie calls it. Poetic justice that her predecessor is headed for the guillotine with two of the people she had tried to have executed years earlier, and brought there by the new Hatter’s hand.

Madeline glares up at her from her place on the floor. No doubt if she was not safely behind bars the ex-Hatter would be at her successor’s throat. Or vice versa.

_yes, yes, draw the knife across her throat, strangle the life out of her, put a bullet in her brain, kill, kill_

Every vein in Melanie’s body sings out. She wants so badly to be the one to bring the axe down on them all, to watch them scream and bleed and die.

_make her cry, drive the blade into her beloved Hare first, she will watch him bleed out at her feet, she will know it is her fault_

A voice from the cell adjoining. “Please… We just want to go home.” _Home._ Melanie sneers at the Knight, who is dangerously close to the bars. Close enough to—

_grab, choke, twist head snap neck hear the bones crunch, do it do it do it_

But no, she won’t do that. Everything will be official and public.

“You’ll be meeting your maker soon enough, _Jackie_. That'll have to do.” She says, all sickening sweet and smiles and rage and loathing and wanting to wipe that pathetic pleading expression from his face.

She turns to the last of them. “And what about you, hmm? Want to go _home_?” It is all she can do to keep the snarling rage and hate, pure hate, so much hate, out of her voice.

**_You._ **

_stab slice rip tear bleed bruise hurt make her scream make her bleed make her die die die now now now now_

**_No. Not yet._ **

“No.” Alice hovers, a safe distance from the bars, searching Melanie’s face for something unknown. “No, not without my daughter.”

“Oh, _goody_.” The Hatter is all smiles again, this time her teeth are knives, fangs, shattered mirrors, deadly, sharp, killing things. “That means you won’t be going home at all, you know. Because Chloe can’t go with you when she’s already gone, can she?”

 _There_. Alice’s expression twists, and the pain is visible. 

Another subtle jab, another little reminder of the little dead girl. Words are the only way Melanie can hurt them now. She doesn’t trust herself not to kill them if she allowed herself more.

_Lash out with your tongue use the words to pierce the heart slap them in the face kick them when they’re down yes yes your voice will cut them down slice them up tear them apart make them bleed yes good yes_

“Two days ‘til Mister Guillotine _cuts_ your little visit short.” She giggles. “Until then, you’ll be getting well acquainted with my Machine. Won’t that be _fun_?” She puts an arm against the bars and leans towards them. With satisfaction she watches Alice and Jack step back, away from her.

“Know what the Machine will do to you, my dear prisoners? It’ll take your worst nightmares, your worst fears, your worst memories, and make you relive them. Over and over. And over. And, well, you get the picture.” Melanie leans back, retracting her arm, watching her captive audience for a reaction.

_prey, prisoners, playthings_

The look of dread on each face was almost sweeter than any physical wound she could inflict.

Almost.

But the Hatter knows she will have her chance once her new test subjects are strapped into her glorious Machine. And she can wait until then. She can find other toys to distract herself with for now.

Melanie exits the dungeon unceremoniously, fingers twitching and eyes darting around every bend.  
The word will soon spread through the residents of Looking-Glass Land that still possess their own minds.

_The Hatter is hunting. Stay out of her way if you want to stay alive._

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure you're all wondering how Alice and Jack and Maddy ended up back in Wonderland. All will be explained in time. Remember, I'm not posting these in chronological order. (I'll make the chronology clear when I've finished posting the series here and crossposted it on ff.net)


End file.
